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Selection Process & Preferences

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and ranked according to the number of admission points awarded during the selection screening process. A campus visit and interview with the admissions committee will be offered to selected applicants.

All materials must be submitted to CASPA by October 1

All completed applications undergo a preliminary selection screening process that evaluates and awards admission points based upon program preferences.

Applications are ranked upon the following criteria:

Past Academic Performance (60%) - this includes a thorough review and scoring for:

Cumulative and science GPAs: A minimum cumulative college GPA of 3.00 and a minimum science GPA of 3.00 is required;

Grade improvement in repeated courses; and

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score. A minimum combined verbal and quantitative GRE of at least 291 is required for applicant consideration. GRE tests must be taken by October 1. The GRE conversion table can be found on the ETS website.

Geographic Regionality (10%)

In accordance with the stated mission of the program to prepare health care providers to meet the needs of this rural region, applicants are awarded admissions locality preference points based upon the following:

Permanent address within the program's stated region: Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, North or South Dakota, Utah, or Idaho (four percentage points possible); and

Population of the location in which the applicant graduated from high school - there is a rural preference (four percentage points possible).

Clinical Work Experience (20%)

The quantity and quality of past clinical work experience (direct patient care), as well as any formal health career training (EMT, CNA, LPN, RN, RT, MT, etc.) are assessed as part of each applicant's screening evaluation. Candidates with clinical experience are clearly more competitive.

Personal Statements (5%)

As evidenced by the CASPA essay, applicants are evaluated for their ability to express themselves in written communication.

Letters of Recommendation (5%)

The letter writer's assessment of the applicant's ability to be a future physician assistant is the basis for this evaluation.